Improved clothes-drier



MPETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPMEE. WASHINGTDN D C HENRY J. HANCOCK., or NEWlYoEK, N. Y.

Lettere Patent No. 76,756, dated April 14, 1868..

IMPROl/"EID CLOTHES-DEER.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MA'Y CONOERN:

Be it known that I, HENRY J. HANCOCK, of the city, county, and State ofNew York, have invented eer-1 tain new and useful Improvements inOlothes'Frames; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings making aportion of this specification, in which-Figure liis a side view of a clothes-frame constructed according to myinvention, showing the same as folded up when not in use. i

Figure 2 is a vertical scctio'nof the same, showing the arms thereof aslet down in a horizontal position preparatory to being expanded for use.i i v.

Figure 3 is a. horizontal section ofthe same, representing the arms`just mentionedin their expanded position.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section, showing one portion of the apparatus.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures. n

This invention consistsin a frame, carrying laterally-expanding arms orbars, andpivoted at its upper end to asuitable supporting-rod or shaftin such manner Ithat the arms or bars, being brought parallel andclosely togethermaybe turned up into a vertical posit-ion out of the waywhen not in use. lTheiuveution further consists in the employment of aclasping-device in connection with the supporting-shaft, and the movableand adjustable arms or bars attached thereto, whereby such arms or barsmay be eifectually retained in their vertical position when required.rlhe invention further consists in a novel means whereby the retentionof the apparatus as a whole iu proper position is provided for;

To enable others to understand the nature and construction of myinvention, I willprocced to describe it with reference t'o the drawings.y

A is a rod or shaft, furnished-at its upper end. with an eye-piece, a,whereby it may be suspended upon or against a wall, or other likesupport. This shaft, at a suitable distance from its lowereud, isprovided with a. forked bracket, b, in which is pivoted the upper end-ofa frame, B, which may be said .to consist of a top-piece, c, stem orpivot, cl, and bottom-piece, e. .The arms or'bars which support theclothes or articles to be sustained on the frame or apparatus, are shownat C, and at their inner ends are pivoted upon the stem or pivot oZofthe frame B, in such a way that they may be laterally spread apart ormade toradiate fromttheir pivot, as shown in fig. 8, and hereinafterfurther explained. v Attached at any suitable part of the shaftA, abovethe bracket b, is a claspiug-device, D, which consists for the most partof two elastic arms,f, arranged side by side, and for the greaterportion ofv their length straight and parallel, their outer ends being',however, slightly curved outward, to facilitate the entrance betweenthem of the closed or folded arms or bars O, as presently herein setforth. I i

When it is desired to use the apparatus, as for holding clothes or likearticles Awhile drying, the arms or barsC a're first let down into thehorizontal position shown in fig. 2, with the bottom-piece e of thcframe B resting against the lowermost portion of the shaft Ain suchmanner as to prevent the arms or bars C from falling below suchhorizontal position, whereupon the arms or bars are spread apartlaterally, as represented in iig. 3, and the apparatus is ready for use.

When it is desired to bring it into compact form, as, for instance, whennot required for use, the arms or barsare firs-t brought back to theirclosed position, and then turned upward into the nearly or quitevertical position indicated in fig. 1, the outer portions of the arms orbars C, passing between the two elastic armsf of the clasping-device D,their entrance between such elastic arms being facilitated by theoutward curvature of the outer ends of the latter. The elastic arms,thus clasping the arms or bars C between them, serve to effectsV uullyretain the same in their upright position out of the way.

The clasping-deviee D, and the bracket bare each provided at their innerends with 1aterallyextending bracing-arms, marked respectively g 9*,which, resting against the wall or support upon which the apparatuf issuspended, prevent the latter from turning around upon the axis of theshaft A, and thus provide for the retention of the apparatus in properposition upon the wail, whether it be closed out of the wey, or openedor expanded for use. v

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. The combinzttion of the pivoted frame B, carrying thelaterally-extending arms or bars C, with the bracket 6, on the shaft orrod A, whereby the `arms or bars, when closed together, moy be broughtinto nearly or quite vertical position, substantinliy as herein setforth.

2. The combination of the clusping-device D with the supporting-rod orshaft `A and the movable arms or bars C, whereby the latter, when closedand turned into an upright position, may be retained in such position,substantially as herein set forth.

3. The arrangement of the laterally-extending bracing-armsl g g* uponthe elasping-device D and the bracket b of the pivoted frame B, and withreference to the rod or shaft A, whereby the apnaratus is prevented fromturning upon the axis of the shaft, substantially as herein set forth.

HENRY J. HANCOCK. Witnesses:

J. W. CooMBs, A. LE CLERC.

